If you or your child is ready to experience the freedom that comes with using Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) contact lenses to treat nearsightedness, you may be wondering what the next steps are. Ortho-K lenses are worn overnight and work much like braces or a retainer and rely on a process called Corneal Refractive Therapy to reshape the eye to improve vision.1 They require a highly specialized contact lens fitting. Not all eyecare practitioners have undertaken the additional training and certifications required to provide Orthokeratology.
Orthokeratology employs customized contact lenses, like Paragon CRT® Contact Lenses, designed specifically to gently reshape the cornea while the patient sleeps. This reshaping of the cornea allows light to focus correctly onto the retina, resulting in clearer vision. In the morning, patients remove their lenses and experience improved vision with freedom from daytime contacts or glasses. Because this process is intricate and personalized to your eye, it is vital to achieve the perfect fit.2
The Orthokeratology Process
Once you and your eye doctor have decided to opt for Ortho-K lenses, the process generally includes the following steps.
In order to achieve a custom fit, qualified practitioners utilize an instrument called a corneal topographer to map the exact curvature of the entire cornea. The procedure itself is quick and painless—it takes about a minute and produces a topographical map of your eye.
An eye doctor will then fit you with in-office inventory or a custom ordered set of contacts. These personal Ortho-K lenses will be created to gently reshape your eye and improve its ability to focus light. There may be adjustments to your daytime prescription during the treatment phase, with the majority of treatment occurring after just the first night of wear.
A follow up to check on the effectiveness and possible adjustment of the lenses will be needed. To retain your corrected cornea shape you must wear the lenses at night as directed. Don’t forget, regular hygiene and care for your Ortho-K lenses will be needed!
Are you a good candidate for Ortho-K?
If your doctor’s office does not offer orthokeratology, you might consider asking yourself the following questions to determine if this type of vision treatment is a good fit for you or a loved one:
- -Do you find daytime contacts irritating or uncomfortable?
- -Do your contacts or glasses get in the way of your lifestyle and activities, such as sports, exercise, or swimming?
- -Do you work in an environment that is not well-suited to wearing contacts or glasses, such as one that is dusty, wet, or windy?
- -Are you not a good candidate for or unsure about surgical options?
- -Do you find your daytime vision acceptable, but driving at night a challenge?
- -Is your child struggling in school because of a vision problem?
- -Is your child inhibited from activities by glasses or daytime contacts?
- -Does an inability to see clearly affect you or a loved one’s confidence?
If you are interested in using Ortho-K lenses to effectively treat your nearsightedness, see an eye doctor who specializes in Orthokeratology. Find a certified Paragon CRT® eye doctor, and get on the road to improved vision!
[1] What Is Orthokeratology? (2018, October 24). Retrieved from https://www.aao.org/eye-health/glasses-contacts/what-is-orthokeratology
[2] Corneal Refractive Therapy and the Corneal Surface : Eye & Contact Lens. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://journals.lww.com/claojournal/Citation/2004/10000/Corneal_Refractive_Therapy_and_the_Corneal_Surface.19.aspx